I love comfort. I love being comforted by my family. I love comforting other people. I love to eat comfort food. I thoroughly enjoy my comfort zone and my personality rarely cares to step outside it. As a young girl growing up in this fallen world, the only way to “survive” is to stay in my comfy little bubble and stay hidden from everyone else. I’ve been sick the past few weeks, so it forced me to be very lazy and just plain,”I don’t want to do anything but watch movies, eat food, and stay in my cozy little pajamas all day long.” So I did. Now, I am pretty sick of movies, food, and especially hot tea. However, the attitude of “I am comfortable and don’t want to do anything” has kind of stuck with me over the last few days I’ve been healthy. The world has missed Emily’s bright eyes and cheery attitude since I’ve been lazy. How many times have I told myself, “Get up, you could be doing something productive to help someone!” But, I’ve kept myself in it’s little bubble and have stayed there.
As I read my Bible this morning, The Father convinced me of my laziness. I am currently reading Deuteronomy, and the Children of Israel are stuck in the desert. The Father tells them they will fight and they will conquer when they get into the land which was promised. Notice the will. Jesus demands us to be productive. Just like the Israelites are not warriors and don’t fight, they still have to fight because the Lord told them to. The Father tells me,”Emily, get up and go help _______.” “But I don’t want to, Lord.” But it doesn’t matter what I want or not. I do what the Father tells me no matter what. (I challenged myself this morning to do something insanely out of my comfort zone. Don’t ask me what, I’m not sure what I’ll do or how I’ll do it :)) Getting out of my comfort zone means to do hard things (I heartily recommend the book Do Hard Things by the Harris brothers…really encouraged me to be a hard working teen) and work hard to reach my goals. The Father has put so many opportunities in my way to excel and glorify his Kingdom. Today, I encourage you to do something insanely out of your comfort zone…Our Father God will clear the way for us to get there! Go out and do hard things!
So long,
Emily 🙂
P.S. Remember all the impacts of the great examples who stepped out:
Moses: He was just a man who led Israel out of Egypt
Ruth: Followed Naomi into an unknown land – she became an ancestor of the Messiah
Jonah: Stepped out of his comfort zone (after lots of back talk) and told the blood thirsty Assyrians about the Father.
Bilbo Baggins: Left his comfy hobbit hole and helped the dwarves get back their homeland
Jesus: Left heaven and came to wicked Earth and saved all of us wicked people!
Gladys Aylward: Left her life to minister to the people of China
Frodo Baggins: Left his Shire home and saved Middle Earth after destroying the Ring (Oops! Did I say that out loud?)
Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy: Stepped out of their bubbles and became Kings and Queens and saved Narnia
Great lesson — stepping out of your comfort zone. It never feels good at first — but when you challenge yourself and you see you have nothing to fear but the feeling of being scared or fear of failing or just plain too lazy to act — the elation of over coming and the strength it builds is priceless. The times I have stepped out of my comfort zone — have been so rewarding — but still it is something I have to always challenge in myself –to step out of that comfort zone Grandma….. Thank you Dear Emily…..